BAGGAGE

Ahhh, a fresh beginning. It began at the stroke of midnite. January 1, 2006 had officially arrived. Among smooches, hugs, laughter, and sips of champagne, the opportunity to make this brand new year one to remember for all time burst into the party. I am always particularly pleased watching the ball drop in Times Square when I am in an atmosphere full of hope, love, and optimism. And that is exactly where I found myself!

It is foolish to think that anyone can permanently stow away their "baggage" just because a clock moves to a specific time. After all, we ARE who we are~in part~due to our baggage. It has shaped us into the person we face in the mirror on a daily basis.

Instead of succumbing to an annual list of resolutions, isn't it better to take a look at the baggage you have accumulated? Bring it all out. Take a good look at all that is displayed. Sort through the pile. Three sizes of bags in varying amounts are there: small, medium, and large.

Start with the small bags. Take a gander at what is inside those. I bet there are some items that can be thrown out. Small enough to make you wonder why you ever held onto them in the first place. Yes, definitely tossable. Remove them from your pile. Surprised to find that all of the small bags are in the trash can? Already there is a sense of a load lightened.

Now, look at what lays in front of you. Hmmm. There are some medium-sized bags. Those require a bit more thought before opting to do anything with them. Open those bags; peer inside at the contents. Oops, maybe you accidentally stuffed some small items in them. Inconsequential items that mean absolutely nothing in life's big picture. Out they can go. Off to the trash with them. See one or two "iffy" things in them? Aren't quite sure if they should be saved or pitched? Hang onto them a while longer. You will know soon enough if they are worth keeping. Having done that, you can probably place the contents of ALL of those medium bags inside just ONE. You tidied up a fair amount, didn't you?

Oh, but there are the large bags awaiting your inspection. It is intimidating to see them lurking next to that lone middle-sized bag. Some people have many, many of these giant suitcases. Some have only one or two. Matters not the count. What matters is what you had decided was significant enough to place inside of them. You may not want to rush going through them. In fact, it is best not to attempt to do it quickly. These large cases have been carried with us wherever we have gone. Wherever we have lived. Some of the bags are quite battered and scuffed. Others are still in mint condition. But, they do take up a lot of space. And they are heavy to haul.

It is those bags that will help us reach where we want and need to be. When you are ready, open up one of them. Did you see something that made you terribly angry? If so, hurl it away from you. Shout at it. Stomp on it. Get the anger out of your system. Realize that what is done is done. If there is no way to change what caused your anger, why keep it? Whether or not what it is happens to be fair or unfair makes little difference if the end result is always anger. It drags you down. It makes your life journey take longer because of the overwhelming load. DISCARD IT. It belongs in the trash.

Peek inside another large bag. Are tears flooding your eyes when you spot something that is particularly painful to see? Take a moment to breathe deeply. Ask yourself why it is so painful. Did somebody hurt you...intentionally or unintentionally? Can you rationalize that pain and realize that the person maybe acted a certain way because it was the only way they knew how to act? If you cannot or choose not to try to fix it, do you think it is possible to UNDERSTAND it now? If so, place it inside that medium-sized bag you have, or perhaps you may even find it worth discarding. What about the things that cause you to sob mercilessly? Sad things that also encompass love? Love is not to be thrown away. Ever. Good, sad, or bad endings, love brought something positive and special at least for a time. Me? I would hold onto it. When the time felt right, I might place it inside the medium bag. If it brought me much happiness, I would never want to completely get rid of it. But, I would probably loosen my hold on it.

If all goes well with your purging, you should see only one large bag and one medium-sized bag. Both should have space left inside them. It is not so difficult to travel with just two cases, is it? Throughout the year, periodically set them down and go through them again. You may find yourself readjusting the contents. You might even see a few things ready to take to the dumpster. And your baggage will keep on getting lighter and lighter until one day everything fits inside one suitcase.

We all need to have ONE place to store our troubles, sorrows, burdens. They are ours. We own them. Totally eliminating them would rid us of a part of who we are as individuals. If they are not things that make us undesirable people, then we should keep them. They remind us of who we are and where we have been. It is in the selection of those woes we choose to keep that we can find our own peace. Understanding them is the key.

"Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough." ~Charles Dudley Warner

(Graphic by Simone)